<b>Commentary:</b> Speed Passage Of The Telecommuter Tax Fairness Act
January 28, 2005
Now that the 109th session of Congress is well under way, passing The Telecommuter Tax Fairness Act must be a top priority for legislators. This proposed legislation would prohibit states from imposing a punitive tax on nonresidents who choose to telecommute some or most of the time to in-state employers. By proscribing such a tax, the law would remove a significant obstacle to the continued growth of an important form of e-commerce: interstate telework.
Developments of Note
January 28, 2005
Recent developments in e-commerce law and in the e-commerce industry.
Protecting Internet Communications
January 28, 2005
Law firms use Internet technology to communicate in ways that were simply not possible 10 years ago. This has allowed lawyers to share information as never before. More importantly, the technology associated with the Internet allows law firms direct control over Internet communications because they own the individual networks that allow information to be shared. This direct control brings increased liability for copyright infringement, unless firms comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Compliance requires little investment of time or money. Similarly, e-mail protection is readily available at little or no additional cost.
Legislative Update
January 28, 2005
The latest state and federal legislative developments in Internet law.
Net News
January 28, 2005
Recent developments of note in the Internet industry.This month:<br>First Convictions in U.S. Peer-To-Peer Piracy Fight <br>Music Industry Boss Defends File-Sharing Lawsuits <br> 8th Circuit: No ISP Subpoenas
Online Apple Secrets Publisher Finds Heavy Hitter
January 28, 2005
The 19-year-old publisher of a Web site facing a recent lawsuit over an article about a top-secret $499 Apple computer originally had to plead for legal assistance. Not only did Terry Gross, a partner in the San Francisco-based Gross & Belsky LLP, step up to the plate, but he appears to be willing to play hardball.
SEC Says Google's Lawyers Goofed
January 28, 2005
Google and its general counsel, David Drummond, reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the company's failure to register more than $80 million in employee stock options in the 2 years prior to its IPO.
Practice Tip: Evaluating Products Liability Risks at the Corporate Level
January 26, 2005
Conducting a due diligence review has long been standard practice for anyone considering the purchase of a company's stock or assets or a piece of real estate. In some disciplines, such as environmental law, the potential imposition of strict liability for contamination or the threat of third-party lawsuits has resulted in comprehensive environmental due diligence becoming an essential part of any pre-acquisition review. The same is the case with respect to product liability. Given the proliferation of product liability lawsuits, due diligence should no longer be thought of as a tool used exclusively in mergers and acquisitions ("M&A"). Rather, it should become an integral part of the corporate culture.
Litigation
January 26, 2005
Recent rulings of interest to you and your practice.